Upper Valley Yoga

Kirtan with Angie, Josh and Ko

Join Angie, Josh, and Ko for a summer evening of Kirtan Bliss! Join Pure Kirtan for chanting, dancing, and singing to your soul! Suggested donation: $15.

iRest Yoga Nidra FREE

iRest (integrative restoration) Yoga Nidra (yogic sleep) is a simple form of mindfulness meditation. iRest provides a way to feel at ease when life gets challenging. iRest helps you tap into a place that is calm—even when your life is not. Some people use iRest to relax when life gets busy. Others use it to help heal from serious trauma, stress, insomnia, depression, PTSD, chronic pain, and chemical dependency. A significant body of research shows that iRest meditation helps increase happiness; decrease stress, anxiety, and depression; improve sleep; increase energy; and strengthen resilience to deal with day-to-day life.

This is a free event; all are welcome. Sign up to save a spot.

yoga+juel fuel! yoga, Juel smoothie, and a Juel glass!

Treat yourself or a friend to a combo of yoga and yumminess! We are teaming up with newly opened Juel Modern Apothecary Cafe across the street, to offer a special pass that brings you both.  Available beginning September 1—and on a limited,  first-come basis—purchase the "yoga+juel fuel" pass for $20 and receive:

• 1 yoga class (from us :) )
•1 smoothie from Juel
• 1 juel logo-embossed, re-usable smoothie glass, so you can return again and again to Juel, and drink your scrumptious concoction from glass rather than plastic!

Only 25 passes available, on a first come basis. Must be purchased in person, at the studio.

UVY Turns 15! FREE Labor Day Practice

15 years ago, Kat and Leslie held a  free class at the then-new Hanover Rec Center. To our astonishment, we had a huge group show up for class in the gymnasium, and with our own hearts full, we taught that first official class as co-owners of Upper Valley Yoga. There are even one or 2 of you who were at that first class and basically never left (you know who you are!). From Hanover we moved to the space in Norwich, then Kat moved to Philly, and then 5 years later, UVY moved to our beloved home in WRJ. The rest is history. Here we still are, going strong, attracting amazing, talented teachers and wonderful, funny, fun-loving and hard working students.

And guess who is coming in from Philly to help teach this Labor Day?—None other! We hope you will join Leslie and Kat for a free class 9-10 am to celebrate this milestone—newcomers, old timers, all are welcome! Bring family and friends—let's pack the place!

yikes! Kat and Les a really (really) long time ago! (9/03)

Yoga For Seniors Begins. 9/6 class is FREE

Yoga for Seniors is a gentle class geared to seniors. Classes will begin and end with stillness, and proceed to gentle chair-based stretching and strengthening movements. We will also work on balance and core awareness for the prevention of falling. Mary Greenwood holds a masters in exercise physiology and Divinity, for a safe and whole-person experience—body, mind and spirit. Our studio is located on the second floor and there is no elevator, so participants need to be able to climb a flight of stairs. Please sign up to save a spot.  Class runs Thursdays, 2–2:45 pm beginning September 6, and that first class is FREE (9/6/ only)

Sunrise Flow is back in WRJ! First Class 9/6 is FREE

Calling all you earlybirds! Join Kim for a nourishing, refreshing and energizing start to your Thursday. Sunrise Flow is back, and the first class, 9/6, is FREE. Thursdays 6:30–7:30 am, Sunrise Flow will leave you clear and grounded for the whole day—perfect way to start the morning. Sign up to save a spot. All are welcome.

Diving Deep: A Series for Continuing Students and Teachers

Saturdays, September 8–October 13, 2–4 pm

Join Leslie in the Fall for a 6-week series that explores and refines alignment in some key postures, including Sirsasana and Sarvangasana, and also "maps" the fascial sheaths of the body as a way to understand postural practice, physically and energetically. Designed for intermediate to advanced students, as well as yoga instructors, each session will also devote 30 minutes to a focused exploration of adjunct practices like pranayama, meditation, and subtle body movement modalities.

Early rate of $180 will be available until  September 1.

Here is the outline for each week. I will also post a link to a pdf with more in depth information soon.

Week 1—Asana: The Lateral Sheath (side body).
Week 1—Exploration: SATYA (gentle, somatic movement from Prajna Yoga School)

Week 2—Asana: Dorsal Sheath (back body)
Week 2—Exploration: Grounded awareness in seated meditation

Week 3—Spiral Sheath (twisting)
Week 3—Exploration: Intro to Pranavayus and Pranayama

Week 4—Ventral (front)  Sheath
Week 4—Exploration: Mantra; the yoga of sound

Week 5— Core Sheath
Week 4—Exploration: tba, possibly yoga nidra

Week 6—Sirsasana (headstand) and Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand)
Week 6—Exploration: returning to subtle body through elements of our 6 week "explorations"

Prenatal Yoga Series

-Modifications for each trimester of pregnancy
-Postures and movements to relieve the common discomforts of pregnancy
-Postures for labor preparation
-Breathwork and stress management

Classes will run September 10 through October 15, Mondays, 12:30–1:30 in our White River location. Registration is open now. Early bird rate is $100; $110 after September 1. Register from the calendar.

Cicely Conway has been instructing yoga since 2006. She has specialized prenatal and postnatal yoga and massage training (Colette Crawford of the Seattle Holistic Center and Kate Jordan of Bodywork for the Childbearing Year.) Cicely completed Penny Simpkin's Birth Doula certification in 2007 and is a licensed Acupuncturist and Massage Therapist. She currently sees acupuncture patients in the Upper Valley. In addition to working with women in all stages of motherhood, Cicely is a mother to two young children herself.

Kirtan with Swami Gurusharanananda and Pure Kirtan

Join Swamiji with Angie and Josh and chant the Divine Name! When Swamiji chants with Pure Kirtan, it’s just magical. Come and immerse yourself in the Divine! Several years ago Josh and I made our way to Omkareshwar, a small island in India. Our lives were forever changed by the dear friends we made, the inspiring beauty of India, and the gentle presence of Swami Gurusharanananda, teacher and devotee of Anandamayi Ma. Swamiji's message is sweet and simple: make time each day to connect with the divine and to find the joy in all of life's simple pleasures. Suggested donation: $20 Contact: Angie Follensbee-Hall follhall@protonmail.com
More info here

SWEAT and SURRENDER *(by donation)

Leslie's signature class, Sweat and Surrender is 60 minutes of moderately heated vinyasa flow (mixed level), followed by a lovely, restorative guided meditation called "Yoga Nidra." This class is only offered a few times of year, and on a by-donation basis with a suggested donation of $10-$20 (cash only). All proceeds go directly into our Karma Fund. The Karma Fund is there to make yoga classes available to everyone, regardless of financial means. (if you want to learn more about the fund and how it might be available for you, get in touch.)